Together With The Sundown
by astraldrop11
Summary: Did you know that when a penguin has found its mate, they stay together for the rest of their lives?


**Quick Note: **08/21/11. I just did some minor editing with this one. Everything seriously sucked before so I had to change the ending. Plot-wise nothing changed so much, so no worries! And yes I changed the title. I mean, who would put something like Be My Pengwin, right?

Standard disclaimers apply.

**Warning:** Possible OOC

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It had been a long day over at Seishun Gakuen, and even though the bell already signalled the ending of classes an hour ago, footsteps echoed along the corridors of the main building's second floor. Basing from the sound of the steps, this person wasn't trying to be sneaky nor was this person in a rush to get to his destination.

Hidden behind a closed door in one of the homerooms was a brunette humming a beautiful melody unknown to the ears of the many. Without her knowledge someone had already twisted the knob from the other side of the door, and the small squeak of the metal bars had interrupted her even before the voice could.

"Hey."

"Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno beamed, as she motioned for Ryoma to come closer. "You're here."

A single drop of sweat ran down from his temple to the side of his cheek, and he immediately wiped it try with his wrist band. "It's so hot," he complained. "How can you stay inside here without the fans on?" Ryoma's voice had a faint trace of concern, but it didn't go unnoticed to Sakuno.

He walked over to the other side of the room and just as he was about to tug the ceiling fan's string, Sakuno spoke, a tinge of laughter in her tone.

"But Ryoma-kun the fans here aren't working!" She let out a groan after a while, feeling the soft trickle of her own sweat down her back. "I really wonder why the snowfall is late this year." She tugged on her lower lip, which lately had quite become a habit of hers. "Do you know what it feels like living in winter all-year round?"

He placed his tennis bag down on the floor and shrugged, "How would I know? You would be better asking a polar bear or something."

Sakuno's eyes brightened, almost sparkling. "But Ryoma-kun, they're really h_uuuu_ge!" She stretched both her arms sideways for emphasis. "Like probably even larger than this!"

While Sakuno's arms remained outstretched, Ryoma swiftly went to her side and took what he'd like to call as opportunity. He held her by the waist, and he positioned her hands on either of his shoulders. Then he took the lead and waltzed themselves in the central part of the classroom.

This was one of those rare moments wherein Ryoma initiated something. For in the past year, he had always been playing in the borderline of their relationship; never the one to start, never the one to end.

So there at the center of their world they began to sway, sweaty hands and silent heartbeats. His hands rested on her hips; her hands latched together around his nape.

"You're so stiff." He laughed, burying his nose in the smell of strawberry shampoo and sun, his lips almost touching her head. "I should probably ask another to go to the senior's ball with me."

Without withdrawing from him she formed her hand to a fist and, without having to think twice, punched him on the chest.

"Hey, that actually hurt!" He faked a scene and rubbed the spot where she had hit him, albeit the drama was hard to believe because he was shaking from his laughter.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "At least I wasn't taking advantage..." she muttered under her breath, but allowed herself to be pulled back into his arms when he had the fun part finally settle down.

"So aside from those huge polar bears, what else do you know?"

"Anou… there are _pengwins_, right?"

"_Pengwin_? _Pengwins_?" He mimicked, his grin almost evident in his voice. "Didn't you mean _penguin_?"

She scrunched her nose, her lips pouting. "You're so bad," she said, "I didn't grow up in America, you know."

"Oi, I didn't mean it like that." Acting like his Inui-senpai for a moment, he added, "Did you know that when a penguin has found its mate, they stay together for the rest of their lives?"

She looked at him, wide-eyed, "R-Really? That's so sweet!"

"Hn," he paused for a split second, distracted by his thoughts. "We should go now. Ryuzaki-sensei might be already looking for you."

"Hai!"

**x**

Stars were scattered in the night sky, those small dots that glimmered liked city lights. Beneath of its expanse were two silhouettes walking together. The wind tonight must be so soft against their skin. The girl, who had gotten rid of her braided pigtails after she graduated middle school, walked hand in hand with the boy whose hair gleamed green under the moon.

"We're here."

"Hmn," She stepped on the elevated surface, which was something she did because she was envious how he grew so tall during the past years. "I better go in. Goodnight, Ryoma-kun."

He kissed her cheek and she kissed his "Yeah."

And he started to head for his home, but not until he saw her safely get inside her house.

**x**

Morning breeze whizzed through the open window, gently swaying the curtain along with its silent rhythm. The sun poured its brightness into the room, its light greeting the couple another day together.

Sakuno stretched to shake of the heady feeling, her legs bumping to Ryoma's underneath the covers. He looked at Ryoma, and noticed that there weren't any trace of sleep from his face anymore.

"You were watching me sleep?" She clenched her hand and poked him on his chest. "So unfair! I must have looked awful."

Ryoma disregarded her protest, because this very same light pain on his chest made him travel backwards, back to the day of huge polar bears and mispronounced words.

"Sakuno, remember back then, when we talked about snowy animals?" he asked, his hands tracing lazy circles on her stomach. "Do you still remember what we talked about?"

She thought for a second, searching for the very words that she knew she remembered.

"When a penguin has found its mate, they stay together for the rest of their lives..." She snuggled closer to his side, embracing his warmth and his smell and everything that was him. "We've become quite like that, haven't we?"

But he didn't answer; instead, he threw his gaze ahead, looking at the sky through the window. His eyes might be distant but his mind wasn't going anywhere far, he was still there, _here_, mind and body, only that now he was seeing every great possibilities that was yet to come.

**fin.**

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**Author's Note: **My best friend sent me this self-composed (at least that's what he said) text message about snowy animals which contained the phrase '_...be my pengwin_' on the last part. So, uhm, I just wrote something out of it.


End file.
